


eyes like a sunrise

by profoundlycas



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Airports, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Dates, First Meetings, M/M, pilot!cas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-29
Updated: 2015-11-29
Packaged: 2018-05-03 22:46:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5309906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/profoundlycas/pseuds/profoundlycas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seeing the sun rise; the first peek of light as the plane ascends through the clouds; the lights of the cities like stars in a constellation of hustle and bustle. There were a lot of things Castiel loved about being a pilot. He wasn’t the type to choose a favorite airport he flew into because, let’s be honest, there’s a lot. He held a special place in his heart for the Los Angeles International airport, though. It all started six months ago with a low tank of gas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	eyes like a sunrise

Seeing the sun rise; the first peek of light as the plane ascends through the clouds; the lights of the cities like stars in a constellation of hustle and bustle. There were a lot of things Castiel loved about being a pilot. He wasn’t the type to choose a favorite airport he flew into because, let’s be honest, there’s a lot. He held a special place in his heart for the Los Angeles International airport, though. It all started six months ago with a low tank of gas.

As he guided the plane into the gate, pilot Castiel Novak knew he should radio in to get the fuel tank checked. His legs were a bit stiff though, so he decided he would just hop down after the passengers got off the plane; no use in sitting when he didn’t have to.

As he hopped down and walked toward the fuel tank, he noticed a lineperson walking toward him. Castiel usually liked to observe the fueling process - after all, he’s the one who will be flying the aircraft.

~~~~~~~~~~

Dean Winchester has done many jobs in his five years at LAX. Today, he had one of his less interesting jobs. He would be fueling planes. It left him smelling like fuel and deaf in one ear from listening to Ash over the radio. 

Ash was part of the air traffic control team and had contacted Dean about a fuel job at gate F12. He walked out to check the tank, as pilots often underestimated their fuel reserves, and noticed a pilot walking toward the tank area.

Dean offered the pilot his hand and introduced himself, “Hi! I’m Dean; heard ya need a refill?”

“Hello, Dean. I’m Castiel Novak. And yes, I believe I do.”

Dean was surprised at the firmness of the grip on his hand. Pilots usually didn’t give him much more than a grunt; wanting to be on their way as they bared the burden of telling the passengers the flight will be delayed in order to refuel.

Dean smiled as he let the man’s hand go and gestured to the tank, “Well, I’ll get ya all set up to go then!”

Most pilots didn’t pay him much mind while he was refueling, but this Castiel watched him like a hawk and it made Dean feel a bit weird. “So, uh, you been flying long?”

“You mean today, or in general?” Castiel raised an eyebrow.

Dean cleared his throat, “I meant today.”

“Oh, I just flew in from Tokyo and still have to get to Denver tonight. Then I have a night off.”  
“Damn, that’s a rough flight, huh?”

Castiel stretches out his legs and back as well as he can without physically getting on the ground. “Yeah, it gets to be pretty long usually. It’s worth it when I get two weeks off though.”

“What? I want two weeks off!” Dean laughed.

Castiel chuckled, “I spend two months doing nonstop flights which only include one eight hour period to sleep. Then I get two whole weeks off.”

“During which, you do nothing but sleep, right?” Dean jokes.

“Usually. Sometimes, though, I’m lucky enough to find other things to do.” Castiel tried to hide a smirk and put a wink on full display.

Dean shifted on his feet a bit, not sure if he was reading the situation right. He, of course, read it as a flirtation. “Uh, heh, yeah.”

“Dean!” A voice called out from the radio Dean had to carry. 

Dean sighed, unhooked it from his jeans pocket, and pressed the call button, “Yeah, Ash?”

“When you’re done, Marv has to go on break so you’re clearing that takeoff.”

Dean looked over at Castiel, “Got it. I’ll call you when they’re on the way down.”

As Dean finished the fueling job, Castiel realized how odd he must look just standing there. He coughed. “Well, if everything is good here, I suppose I should get back. New co-pilot on board today...he’s still a little nervous I think.”

“Isn’t it a requirement to NOT be nervous on planes or something?”

Castiel chuckled, “I guess not anymore. See you around, Dean.” He winked and walked away.

\------

Later that day, Dean had met with a co-worker for lunch. Her name was Charlie and she could read Dean like a book. “So what’s up? You seem ...weird. Like that time Sam found your unmentionables.”

Dean huffed. “What kind of brother finds a shoebox at the back of his older brother’s closet and then opens said shoebox?”

“Every little brother ever?”

Dean sighed. “I met a pilot today.”

“Oh, wow! In this giant airport, you met a ...a pilot?” Charlie mocked him with large eyes.

“Alright, I’m done.” Dean started gathering his trash.

Charlie grabbed his arm, “No, no, wait! I’m sorry. Please tell me about this pilot.”

“There’s nothing to even tell, that’s the problem! He just looked at me like he could have jumped me right there, isn’t that weird?”

“Yesterday, you told me you would jump Harrison Ford’s bones if you saw him in person.”

“Well, yeah, but that’s Harrison Ford. I’m just a dude who works at an airport doing literally anything anyone tells me to.”

“Dean Winchester, I am not having this conversation with you again. You're a conventionally attractive man; people are going to notice and sometimes undress you with their eyes."

Dean laughed. He could always trust Charlie to make him laugh. "Yeah well, let's just forget it okay? He works a lot so I'll probably never even see him again."

"Ya never know; the universe is a strange thing!" She skillfully dodge the burrito wrapper Dean threw at her.

\------

A few days later, Dean was helping in baggage claim when his cell phone buzzed in his pocket. Worried it might be Sam with an emergency, he fished it out of his pocket and slid open the message.

**Hello, Dean. I hope it's okay I got your number from Ash. This is Castiel Novak, by the way.**

Dean scoffed, as if he would ever know another person with such a unique name. He decided to type back playfully:

_The pilot?_

**Yes. From the other day. You're the reason I got the plane to Denver.**

_It was a joke, dude. What's up?_

**I have a couple days off and am wondering if you're busy tonight.**

Dean's mouth dried up. Was he being asked on a date? Like, a real one? It had been years since he did more than take someone home.

_Uh, I don't have any plans._

**Would you wanna meet at BJs for a couple drinks?**

_Did Charlie tell you that's my favorite place to get a drink, or are you just lucky?_

**Just lucky, I guess. I hope.**

Fuck.

_I'm off at six if you wanna meet around nine?_

**Sounds perfect, Dean.**

\---------

“It’s been 15 minutes, Charlie, everyone knows anything over 10 is ‘stood up’ time.” Dean was seated in a booth nursing a second shot and already signaling the server for another.

Charlie sighed on the other end of the phoneline. “I bet money he got held up from that weird weather we had earlier. I’m serious, ten bucks, right now.”

“Whatever. I’m finishing this shot and I’m out of here.”

Dean hung up before the inevitable protest, finished the shot, and slammed the glass on the table. As he was gathering his jacket and keys, the server set down a third shot while smiling, “Thought you could use another; on me.”

Great, Dean thought, now I’m the guy who got stood up and gets a pity drink.

His phone buzzed with a text as he swallowed down the third shot.

\---------

Due to a few late-boarding passengers and a lightning delay, Castiel arrived at LAX at 8:47pm. As he opted for the stairs over the crowded escalator, he hoped Dean would be understanding and wait for him.

As he hopped in one of the cabs he could get into among the crowd of people, he pulled out his phone.

**On my way. Stupid weather.**

_You’ll just have to catch up to me. I’m three shots in already._

Castiel’s smile didn’t fade until he walked into the restaurant and saw the greens of Dean’s eyes as he sat across from him.

“Hello, Dean.”


End file.
